Riddle Middle Two

Chapter 4: The Kidnapping

Phil (3rd person)

Phil woke up in a familiar room. The room he and his friends slept in when they were in the future. He looked around. Phred, Pico, Smiley and Zack were scattered around the room. Phil went to Phred first. He shook his shoulders. He shook him harder than he would've with Smiley, since he knew Phred was a heavy sleeper. "Phred?" Phil asked quietly, as not to disturb the others, primarily Zack. Phred mumbled something inaudible. "Phred," Phil said, raising his voice a bit. "Mmm..." Phred replied. "Phred..." Phil said. Phil began to wonder if he was dreaming or if he actually woke up here. Either way, he and his friends were wearing what they usually wore to school. "Yeah..?" Phred asked, finally waking up. "Phred, come with me," Phil said, grabbing his arm and pulling him up. Phil wanted to talk to Phred privately outside of the room so everyone else could sleep. Phred, still half asleep, crashed into the doorframe. Phil couldn't help but cringe as Phred fell backwards. Onto Zack.

Zack immediately woke up. "What the-" Zack started. He talked loudly, which woke Pico and Smiley. "What's going on?" Pico asked. "Where are we?" Smiley asked. Phil realized he'd most likely rushed Phred; if he'd given Phred more time, then maybe he wouldn't have crashed into the door. If that didn't happen, no one else would be awake. "I think we're in the future again," Phil said. "Oh. So, is it a dream, or no?" Pico asked. "I can't say. I think it was the first time, but I don't know now," Phil said. "Can you guys shut up?" Smiley's variant asked, opening the door. Phil jumped. How did she hear them from all the way down the hall? What had happened on their side while him and his friends were back in their reality? How much time had passed? She didn't look pregnant at all, but she hadn't when she'd told Phil either. Phil realized he hadn't told his friends about Smiley's variant's pregnancy yet. Rather than asking all of the questions he had, Phil just stared at Smiley's variant. "Hello?" She asked, glaring at him. "Um... Weren't you pregnant? What happened while we were gone?" Phil asked. "

Pregnant?" Zack asked. "Yeah, she's pregnant," Phil said. "Was," she said. "Wait, was it with my variant or someone else?" Phil asked. "I injected with Zack," she said. "Oh... Oh... Wait, injected?" Phil asked. "Oh, right. Now, you just have someone inject their blood into you and you're pregnant. It's a lot faster," she said. "Oh. Why Zack? Is that why my variant was so-" Phil was cut off. "Wait, Phil, you knew about this? Why didn't you tell me?" Phred asked. "I woke up back in our reality before I had a chance to," Phil said. Phred looked to Smiley, who avoided eye contact. "You knew too. Of course you did," Phred said. "We can argue later," Phil said, looking back to Smiley's variant. "So, did you give birth already?" Phil asked. "What? No, diode, the black stuff I drank killed it. I mean, painlessly, I basically put the baby down. After it permanently fell asleep, it essentially dissolved," she said. "Was that for you, or for Zack?" Phil asked.

"Everyone. I figured it would eventually ignite, and I didn't want my insides on fire. I don't think Zack could handle parenting. Phil probably would've killed me. I don't want the baby to have to grow up here, we don't have any supplies, like diapers or whatever, and I don't know the first thing about parenting," she said. "What happened while we were gone?" Pico asked, so Phil didn't have to. "I just told you," she said. "Okay, I'll word it differently. How much time's passed since we left. Did we even leave?" Pico asked. "It's been a couple of days. You didn't really 'leave', you disappeared," she said. "So this is a dream?" Zack said, sounding unsure. No one answered. "I'm going back to my room..." Smiley's variant said, breaking the silence and slamming the door as she left. "...We should probably sleep some more as well. Maybe we'll make up back home," Phred said. "Yeah, you're right," Phil said. Their sleeping bags were still there, so they got into those and slept. Smiley lay face down, which muffled her snoring, allowing everyone else to get a decent amount of sleep.

The next morning

Phil awoke to find that Smiley wasn't there. "Where's Smiley?" He asked. His friends were beginning to wake up. "I don't know, she's probably just using the bathroom or something," Phred said, not seeming to care. "What bathroom?" Zack asked. "Phred, Zack, check your variants rooms. Pico, look in Smiley's variants room. It's down the hall and to the right. I'll look outside," Phil said. Phred rolled his eyes and Zack scoffed. Pico said 'got it' and went to check Smiley's variants room. Phil thought they'd be more cooperative. Phil went out into the bar, then he leapt up to get through the gap. "Hey kiddo. Where are you going?" His variant asked. "I'm looking for Smiley. You haven't seen her, have you?" Phil asked. "No, but I can help you look. I'm guessing you mean your Smiley," Phil's variant said. "Yeah," Phil said. Phil's variant lifted Phil up into the gap, then he jumped in himself.

They crawled out and into the dawn-lit desert. Phil was surprised at how cold it was. Luckily, he'd woken up with his jacket. "S'That her?" Phil's variant asked, pointing into the distance. Smiley's limp figure was being stuffed into a bag by someone Phil hadn't seen before. They looked human, at least from there, with no visible robot parts. It was a girl, and she had long brownish-blondish hair. "Lauren," Phil said. "Who? Whatever, they're taking Smiley. I'll watch her, you get everyone else," his variant ordered. Phil slid back through the gap. He gathered his friends and their variants. He saw Pico's variant for the first time, who appeared all robot except for his head. His face looked almost the same as Pico's, besides the stubble he had on his chin. He told them that Smiley was being stuffed in a bag by someone who looked like future Lauren, then he led them outside. "Where'd they go?" Phil asked. "They-" Phil's variant felt a sharp pain stabbed through his back, then a powerful shock. He fell to the ground unconscious as the same thing happened to everyone around him.